


i don't know why i don't dislike this

by hybridrep



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-10-13 06:05:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10507794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hybridrep/pseuds/hybridrep
Summary: Okay, maybe they’d reached the point of acquaintanceship where it was almost friendship.





	

**Author's Note:**

> it's for a prompt were hakyeon is a sorcerer and taekwoon is a vampire but i turned the love/hate fuckbuddies part around a little bit :o

 

 

“No.”

It wasn’t the first time Hakyeon had heard it. He’d been pestering Taekwoon for weeks to give him some of his blood. Funny, for a human to try taking some off a vampire and not the other way around.

Weeks bled — if only figuratively — into months. The mere fact that Hakyeon had managed to form a frail pact between himself and the vampire was a success on its own. But Hakyeon was a sorcerer, and making an enemy out of one wasn’t favorable, not even for a vampire over a hundred years old.

“One hundred and fifty,” Taekwoon would correct him at first, but stopped when it got to him Hakyeon was omitting the “fifty” on purpose. For somebody who insisted on finding Hakyeon infuriating, loud and snooty, Taekwoon was surprisingly crossing paths with him quite often.

The lack of sound to Taekwoon’s steps wasn’t something that surprised Hakyeon. When it came to vampires, there was an aura Hakyeon couldn’t ignore even if every one of his senses failed him — because his magic never did.

There was a question that easily made Taekwoon huff in annoyance. _Did you come bearing gifts?_ Hakyeon was prone to tease him like that, and yet this time he pressed his lips together, silent. He only hummed when Taekwoon stopped by the door.

“There’s a new vampire in the neighborhood,” Taekwoon announced once acknowledged. When Hakyeon didn’t say anything, he continued. “One, at least, because I sensed—heard it last night.”

There were leaves and roots of various plants and herbs set over the heavy table Hakyeon used for work. It was dark wood and thick nails, and it added to the ambience of the room. It was Hakyeon’s workshop, both business and home. Though it wasn’t the only thing Hakyeon did for a living.

He frowned, turning around to face the vampire. Taking in Taekwoon’s clothes, he almost groaned out loud. He was always dressed too good for somebody who had walked the earth for so long. But maybe having all the time in the world for himself, following the current trends in fashion wasn’t that hard of a task. However Taekwoon obtained them — Hakyeon tried not to think about how he might be associated with a law-breaking vampire. Morals aside, he’d been existing on the fringes of the law enough.

“You know it’s actually something that could have been avoided, right?” Hakyeon asked at last, looking straight into Taekwoon’s eyes. It might be boldness Hakyeon possessed a grand amount of, or just the fact he was practically bathed in charms. Either way, he wasn’t afraid of Taekwoon. Not anymore. “You know, and yet you’re choosing to remain stubborn—“

“It’s not like I’m inviting them!” Taekwoon outright whined, and Hakyeon couldn’t stop himself from grinning. “Hakyeon!”

Okay, maybe they’d reached the point of acquaintanceship where it was almost friendship.

“I wasn’t even going to say anything,” Hakyeon admitted, leaning on the table. “And it’s not very common for you to use my name so freely.”

It was another jab. At the beginning especially, Taekwoon had used to address Hakyeon with “sorcerer”, and later “you”. Hakyeon would have been hurt if it hadn’t been so endearing.

Taekwoon scoffed. “I told you why.” He shifted on his feet, took a step closer. “Using the person’s name puts a glamour to it.”

“And I told you I’m not that easy to glamour,” Hakyeon reminded him. “Shouldn’t you be able to control it, though?”

Taekwoon opened his mouth but didn’t find words to counter Hakyeon with. They both knew the answer to it, and that Hakyeon was simply poking fun at him. Again.

The silence that fell over them was filled with the scent of freshly crushed herbs, and Hakyeon could tell Taekwoon was beginning to smell it — his nostrils flared, and his eyes roved over the table. Hakyeon wasn’t one to talk about his charms and spells, but at times he found himself sharing tidbits of information with Taekwoon. Omitting the recipe itself, he would tell the vampire about the usage of a potion he was currently making, or reveal as mundane information as how many charms for demon protection he’d sold lately.

Hakyeon wondered if Taekwoon was going to start that kind of conversation tonight, or just leave. Usually Hakyeon was the first one to indulge the vampire in mindless chatter, but tonight he hesitated.

“What are you making?” Hakyeon heard Taekwoon asking, his voice as airy as a spell itself. Hakyeon smiled in triumph.

“Spring is coming,” Hakyeon said, like it explained everything. It didn’t, seeing as Taekwoon blinked at him in question, taking another step closer to the table. “It’s love related. Awakening. Finding what’s lost.” Taekwoon leaned closer, taking in the thick scent as Hakyeon touched some of the plants. He wiggled his fingers to let it spread more. “They’re supposed to help with what people want, to put it simply.”

“That’s—“ Taekwoon croaked. “Very human. Romanticism.”

Hakyeon snorted. “Says the one who prevents me from working on something interesting.”

It was weird to see a vampire flinch, but Taekwoon did. But it was Hakyeon who made a face at him, ignoring the gesture.

And then, Taekwoon was a few meters away, by the door, and Hakyeon would have yelled if Taekwoon didn’t speak first.

“I’m sure you can make a lot of exciting things. Try werewolf blood.”

Hakyeon yelled anyway, just Taekwoon wasn’t there to hear it.

 

 

“No.”

It was Hakyeon’s turn to say that one word, but it was different from all those times Taekwoon had done it.

In the middle of the night, Hakyeon had been woken up by his charm which announced a trespasser. He had the small dagger he kept by his bed ready even before the intruder got to the stairs, only to drop it down onto his pillow when he heard it was Taekwoon. He went downstairs without putting any pants or slippers on, actually worried.

“I told you not to sneak up on me—what happened?”

Taekwoon had blood on him, and a lot of it. It took Hakyeon a moment to remember Taekwoon was a vampire and not to freak out; he was unable to get hurt permanently.

“That new vampire,” Taekwoon grumbled, “he brought his whole coven with him. They dismissed my request to leave.”

Hakyeon could feel his nerves flare, his magic boiling under his skin. He took a calming breath. “You went there alone? Are you mad?!”

Inevitably, it brought a scowl onto Taekwoon’s face. “It’s not—they can’t be here. This area is already occupied, they can’t just—would you then go talk to them?”

He was trying to make multiple points all at once, and Hakyeon had to filter them carefully. Before he answered, he handed Taekwoon a roll of paper towels. Clothes would require washing, of course, but Hakyeon could talk to a somebody with less blood on their face.

But Taekwoon wasn’t, despite so many years of being undead, a very patient creature. He pressed, “Would you, Hakyeon? At least I showed them I’m not going to dismiss it.”

Hakyeon sighed, taking dirty towels off Taekwoon’s hands. “But you could have taken somebody else with you. You’re not assigned to any coven, but you have friends in the city. Hongbin, for example?”

The expression on Taekwoon’s face was akin to one of a human eating a lemon. Hakyeon, from one source of information or the other, knew for a fact that Taekwoon didn’t hate asking for help. It was just that his eternal friends would poke fun at him for it, and that was what made Taekwoon unwilling to do so. He would do it in the end if his own efforts didn’t pay off.

Just like right now, Hakyeon thought. He gave Taekwoon a condescending once-over. “And you know that now you’ll need to ask anyway. Because I’m not meddling with this one.”

Hakyeon was ready to hear some whining, grumbles and pleads, but Taekwoon surprised him with a rather intense stare, and Hakyeon fell enthralled by it. “That’s not why I’m here. “

The questioning rise of his brows didn’t work right away. Taekwoon took his time with speaking his mind out loud.

“You said you wanted blood.”

It worked like a punch — Hakyeon had to take a step back, heat hitting him in a flash. An actual offer wasn’t made yet, but just the mere suggestion it could make its way on the table left Hakyeon riling. Because from what Hakyeon understood, Taekwoon was about to let go of something he hadn’t been willing to spear before.

“Yes, I did,” Hakyeon confirmed, trying to sound less surprised than he felt.

It was hard to contain the overwhelming emotion drumming under Hakyeon’s skin, but then, like a bucket of cold water, the realization hit him. If Taekwoon was willing to offer his blood now, of all times, it meant he wanted something as valuable in return. Hakyeon, unlike himself, didn’t rush into asking what that was.

“Blood for blood,” Taekwoon said at last, and Hakyeon’s mouth fell open. It felt like a spell was being cast over him. Or glamour.

“You want to feed on me?” It was even more dreadful said out loud, and Hakyeon shuddered.

It was something a mother would warn her children from. Don’t look into vampires’ eyes, don’t let them feed on you. Even better, don’t walk around after dark. But they warned children from going into forests, too, and from befriending sorcerers. In some people’s eyes, Hakyeon wasn’t very different from Taekwoon. Their footing was more even than one would think, Hakyeon was beginning to understand.

“Losing blood like that, in a scuffle,” Taekwoon continued when Hakyeon didn’t speak right off, “it requires more than a blood bag to satiate the hunger. Your blood is—it’s filled with magic. It’s even better.”

“You could go hunting,” Hakyeon said offhandedly. Taekwoon’s reasoning made sense, but Hakyeon still felt he wasn’t saying everything. After pestering the vampire for so long, to get it served on a silver platter — it was just too easy. “Then you wouldn’t need to give anything back.”

“Sooner or later, I would have to,” Taekwoon murmured. He wasn’t looking at Hakyeon, chin ducked down. “ You know how balance works. That’s why I don’t—”

You don’t eat humans, Hakyeon finished in his head. Some of the first words Taekwoon had said to him when they’d met for the first time. It felt like years had passed since then.

“You like to pay your debts right away,” Hakyeon said, trying to humor the vampire. Or maybe it was more for his own sake.

Taekwoon shook his head. “I like not having them at all.”

Despite the atmosphere that was making Hakyeon’s senses tingle, and his magic matching his agitation in its skittering surges — on and off, on and off — Hakyeon laughed. There was a vampire covered in brown-red, dried blood in his house, and Hakyeon was talking about letting him bite him like it was some business deal. For how common it was to talk about night creatures, sorcerers and their magic, some aspects of it were still a taboo. They might be living among us, but we don’t mingle with them. It was a rule not only humans held dear. Ultimately, they would be bound to keep this between them, and them only.

“Don’t tell Hongbin,” Taekwoon quietly asked.

Hakyeon laughed again. “Only if you don’t tell Sanghyuk.” It was rather impossible for Taekwoon to use glamour on him, but it surely felt like that. Hakyeon tried to put on a protest, in words at least. “But I didn’t say yes.”

“I would need your permission,” Taekwoon reminded him. “You know it.” And after a beat of silence, “Hakyeon.”

“Hakyeon, what?” Hakyeon mocked him, bringing his arm up, wrist tilted just enough for Taekwoon to get a glimpse of his veins.

It was cruel, to toy with the idea of saying no in the end, sending Taekwoon home. Hakyeon had that power, and yet he knew he wasn’t going to use it on the vampire. Something that shouldn’t have occurred had happened — somewhere along the way, Hakyeon had started trusting him. Even when every book and every passerby on the street said he shouldn’t, Hakyeon did.

He lifted his hand higher. Taekwoon stepped closer.

But he didn’t go for Hakyeon’s wrist, he didn’t take it into his own cold hand. He walked right past it, touching Hakyeon’s shoulder when he was close enough, only a breath separating them.

“Here,” Taekwoon said. His fingers moved, brushing over Hakyeon’s neck.

Hakyeon squeaked. Taekwoon shouted, stumbling back. It was a close call, judging by the charm locked in Hakyeon’s pendant that went off in a small burst of silver smoke. It must have burnt Taekwoon a little, because he was examining the tips of his fingers, whining softly.

“You surprised it,” Hakyeon said in a quivering voice. “You should have said something first!”

“I did,” Taekwoon protested. He moved his fingers in front on his eyes — they were already healed. He shifted his eyes to Hakyeon. “Will you let me?”

It was at the tip of Hakyeon’s tongue to scold him again, to wrench it out of him, _what do you want?_ but he swallowed it down. Pendant in his hand, Hakyeon squeezed it once, like the piece of magic needed more reassurance than its master himself. Without drawing it out any further, he took it off.

And Hakyeon would do without Taekwoon’s raised brows, like he was mocking him for being this stupid. They both knew that without Hakyeon’s little charm Taekwoon had his hands unbound. If he was to turn on Hakyeon, it would be now.

None of them said a word.

Taekwoon stepped forward once more, speed slow even for a human, with his gaze pinned on Hakyeon. There was a pause when he was almost pressed against Hakyeon, breath washing over Hakyeon’s neck in cold waves, and Hakyeon’s nerves flared anew. “Do it,” Hakyeon rushed him, and the next second he was gasping in pain.

The bite was deep, and the urge to push Taekwoon away was overwhelming. But Taekwoon was a vampire, it wouldn’t do, and all Hakyeon did so he wouldn’t be at a complete loss was to put his hand at the back of Taekwoon’s neck, fingers digging into his nape in warning. The pendant might have been gone, but he still had his magic.

The dislodging of fangs twinged even more, and as they eased out, Hakyeon’s fingers dug harder in turn. Taekwoon didn’t seem to mind. He put his mouth around the wound, and sucked.

The sensation was exquisite. It was at the same time hot — like poison eating you from inside out, like a fire spell locked under your skin — and cold — which reminded Hakyeon of a deep well, and how it would be to fall into it like a stone, to the very bottom of it.

The moment Hakyeon’s vision swayed, Taekwoon stopped. He wasn’t drinking anymore, but his lips remained on Hakyeon’s neck, tongue pressed against the wound.

Hakyeon didn’t remember Taekwoon’s hand on his waist, but it was there, now.

“Ah,” Taekwoon said, and it was an exhale of surprise as he looked at his doing. “It didn’t close completely.” His other hand reached for Hakyeon’s neck, the pad of his finger rubbing right under the wound. “I got a little bit of blood on your shirt.”

Hakyeon was wearing an old t-shirt, and it reminded him of the state of Taekwoon’s clothes.

“It can’t be worse than yours,” Hakyeon joked. “Should I lend you something?” He tried not to think of how odd it was to let a vampire suck his blood one moment, and offer him a change of clothes the next. If Hakyeon hadn’t known better, hadn’t been a sorcerer and seen a lot of questionable things, he would have been freaking out by now.

“It’s fine,” Taekwoon said, “It’s dark outside, anyway.”

Hakyeon hummed in agreement. He didn’t want it to be awkward, but he had no idea what to say. He surely shouldn’t be thanking Taekwoon for not sucking him dry.

Surprisingly, it was Taekwoon who spoke next. “I’ll drop by soon,” he promised, “for the second part of our deal.”

Hakyeon released a sigh. “You better,” he said with a smile, turning his eyes up at Taekwoon at last. “Oh,” he blinked in surprise, “you have—“

And without a warning, like he hadn’t scolded Taekwoon about it before, he reached his hand to Taekwoon’s face. There was a bit of blood in the corner of the vampire’s mouth, and Hakyeon rubbed at it, like he would have done to a child.

But Taekwoon wasn’t one, he was an over one hundred years old vampire, and not one to be toyed with. Hakyeon could feel his surprised gaze piercing through him. And then, Taekwoon swiped his tongue over his lips, catching on the pad of Hakyeon‘s finger.

Hakyeon should have considered it more, weighed his words better, before saying for the second time that night, “Do it.”

If Hakyeon hadn’t imagined letting a vampire feed on him before, he for sure wouldn’t have dreamed of letting one suck his blood off his fingers. Taekwoon’s mouth was hotter than before, and Hakyeon had enough presence of mind to ask himself what the hell they were doing just now. Hakyeon had a few possible scenarios going off in his head, but the most prominent one sent a shiver down his spine. And then another when Taekwoon held his wrist, and looked into his eyes.

It happened without Hakyeon saying it for the third time — Taekwoon did kiss Hakyeon without prompting. And it felt good, even with the tang of iron on Taekwoon’s tongue.

“Talk to Hongbin,” Hakyeon said when they parted. “Don’t go there alone again.”

“I know,” Taekwoon nodded. Neither of them seemed to want to address what had just happened. Taekwoon sighed, turning his head to the side. “I just want them gone.”

“Believe me,” Hakyeon said, and he found himself smiling. “I do, too.” He patted Taekwoon’s cheek affectionately, couldn’t really help himself, and stepped away. Taekwoon blinked at him, as if confused. “I could—“ Hakyeon said, gaze shifting over shelves of jars and boxes, thinking. “I could give you something that might help. Tomorrow?”

“You said you wouldn’t be meddling in, didn’t you?”

Hakyeon gave Taekwoon an unimpressed look. “No one will know if you don’t leave loose ends.” He said it in a chirp voice, but they both knew what it meant. “That new, unpredictable coven is a threat to the whole city.”

“Eh,” Taekwoon whined, slouching his shoulders. “This is frustrating.”

“It will be more if you don’t make it home before sunrise,” Hakyeon said, and found it easy to grab Taekwoon by the arm and lead him to the door.

Because Taekwoon let him, and he was laughing quietly. “I know, I know,” he said when he was pushed past the threshold, out of Hakyeon’s house. “Tomorrow?”

It had been Hakyeon’s suggestion, and he smiled at that. As a confirmation he gave Taekwoon just a kiss, almost moaning into it when Taekwoon swiped his fingers over the wound on his neck. The sting was faint but also enough for Hakyeon to remember how it had felt, just moments before.

Taekwoon’s expression was smug before he disappeared into the fading night, and he might have not caught the judgmental set of Hakyeon’s mouth.

As Hakyeon climbed the stairs back, he wondered what he wanted more at the moment — for the coven to be figuratively dead and practically gone, or for Sanghyuk, his young sorcerer friend, to never find out he let Taekwoon take care of it, among other things.

 

 


End file.
